Events

Highlands Ranch: With the recent death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the future of this important country has become more uncertain. Over the years, Venezuela has become increasingly at odds with the United States. While both countries share a mutual interest in Venezuela’s oil reserves, Chavez opposed U.S. foreign policy efforts, a point underscored by his efforts to strengthen relations with Iran. Join Active Minds as we explore the origins of this escalating conflict and where it may go from here. PDF of the Active Minds Lecture Series.

Highlands Ranch: Major General John Borling, a highly decorated military officer with a career spanning 37 years, will read from and sign his book Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton (Pritzker Military Library). 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of American POWs held at the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, a.k.a. the Hanoi Hilton. For many of the incarcerated, poetry was a weapon, and Major General John Borling (then Captain Borling), mentally composed poetry and communicated it to fellow prisoners via a special, but forbidden, tap code. Unable to write anything down, he committed thousands of words to memory, and upon his release, he recorded all of his poems. “It is most fitting that on this 40th year anniversary of our release from prison in Vietnam that you can know and appreciate John’s remarkable work as we did during our darkest days in the Hanoi Hilton.” —Senator John McCain, from the forward Can’t make it to the signing? Request an autographed copy here: books@tatteredcover.com

Colfax Avenue: Pamela Olson lived in Ramallah, Palestine, for two years, during which she served as head writer and editor for the Palestine Monitor and as foreign press coordinator for Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi’s 2005 presidential campaign. In 2006 she moved to Washington, DC, and worked at a Defense Department think tank to try to bring what she had learned to the halls of power—an educational but disillusioning experience. Olson will talk about her first book Fast Times in Palestine: A Love Affair with a Homeless Homeland ($16.00 Seal Press), a powerful, deeply moving account of life in Palestine—both the
daily events that are universal to us all (house parties, concerts,
barbecues, and weddings), as well as the violence, trauma, and political
tensions that are particular to the country. From idyllic olive groves
to Palestinian beer gardens, from Passover in Tel Aviv to Ramadan in a
Hamas village, readers will find Olson’s narrative both suspenseful and
discerning. Her irresistible story offers a multi-faceted understanding
of the Palestinian perspective on the Israel–Palestine conflict, filling
a gap in the West’s understanding of the difficult relationship between
the two nations. Can’t make it to the signing? Request an autographed copy here: books@tatteredcover.com